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My Proust

If anybody has seen Inside Actors Studio before, you know that James Lipton asks his guest at the end of the interview the following questions after the Proust questionnaire, originated by Bernard Pivot and I thought I’d post my responses.

1. What is your favorite word?
It changes all the time. Right now it’s douchebaguette, e.g. Snooki from Jersey Shore. Before that it was “moist” just to push people’s buttons. I don’t understand why that word creep people out.

2. What is your least favorite word?
GMAT

3. What turns you on?
Passion and beauty. I love it when I see someone completely devote themselves to their craft, whether it’s acting, something musical, or just a cheese maker that’s been making the cheese that smells like angels’ feet.

4. What turns you off?
Complacency. I can’t stand people just mooching off their, or even worse somebody else’s success. Or just someone that’s coasting through life. Average is the best of the worst and worst of the best. I learned that from working with Southwestern Company.

5. What sound or noise do you love?
Back when I was trading w/ Kershner Trading Group, I had my trading platform set up where this particular kind of trade would set off an audible alert after my order gets filled for the different closing or imbalance trades. It doesn’t always work out, but when it does it’s really sweet. Aside: Nothing in trading is 100%. If it is, you’re probably doing some Bernie Madoff stuff.

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
Sometimes when you see a group of girls out and about, most like a bachelorette party, there’s that one girl that’s way too drunk, going “whoop whoop!” It also sounds really similar to Texas A&M Aggies would make. They play a clip of Spencer Pratt doing that on The Soup sometimes… except I can’t find the clip.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
Good ol’ FUCK, although my head has been programmed to do an automatic find and replace to FRICK or any kind of variations, courtesy of Sarah Chalke from Scrubs.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Stand up comedian. There are no other jobs in the world where you can get an introduction, a round of applause and make people laugh. As if you’ll hear the security guard go: “Now, everybody please welcome to the building: the Chief Comptroller!” I know I can be good at it, too, with some practice. All they’re really doing is complaining or ripping some celebrity.

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Clown; them’s some big shoes to fill.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
“It’s not your fault.” There’s a scene from Good Will Hunting that has always echoed w/ me. Being the first-born son and first-born male grand child on both side of the family in Asian culture has made my mother put lots of pressure on me, mostly b/c she thinks people will judge her as a mother. Her stress, which then becomes my stress.